PODCAST · arts
Workers' Lit
by Workers' Lit
Your favorite podcast about literature for hot, cool, gay, and/or working class people. Hosted by Aysha, Lenore, Jen, and Rahab. New episodes on Mondays.Patreon: Patreon.com/workerslitContact us at [email protected].
Episodes
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"Metal From Heaven" ft. Amal El-Mohtar. Or: Let's Go Lesbians
IMPORTANT NOTE: You might notice one of our hosts is going by a new name (Rahab/Ray). Have you slipped into an alternate reality? Perhaps, perhaps not. For some specifics, go check out the "Rise of Rahab" episode on the Patreon. Or just pretend it was always this way, that works too. Let's Go...
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"Automatic Noodle," ft. Cecilia Tan
The age of humanity has passed. The age of the noodle is at hand! This week, we are joined by the brilliant author Cecilia Tan to discuss "Automatic Noodle," a cozy sci-fi novella by Annalee Newitz. This book will finally answer the question we've all been waiting to solve: What happens when a...
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Health Communism, ft. Jake Flores
Capitalism is not up to the task of 21st century healthcare. Facing wars, an ageing population, fossil fuel-driven disasters, debilitating diseases, and the everyday rigors of life, the capitalist healthcare system instead prioritizes profit above all else. On this episode Jake Flores of "Pod…
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Summer Sons: 5 years later. A Retrospective with Lee Mandelo
On September 28, 2021, Lee Mandelo released his debut novel: "Summer Sons," a southern gothic horror that wrestles with guilt, sexual repression, the long shadows of southern history, the evils of academia, and reinventing BDSM dynamics from first principles with your buddies. On September 28,...
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Antonio Gramsci's "Prison Notebooks," ft. Caleb of Kill the Computer
Now is the time of monsters! Caleb from Kill The Computer and 60 Minute Drill returns to the pod to discuss the legendary Italian intellectual, Antonio Gramsci. Trace the life story of this short king with us as he travels from the poor countryside of his youth to meet baddies in a Moscow...
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[Bonus Episode Preview] Article Brain: Ross Douthat and AI Apocalypse
This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/WorkersLit Once again it's time for an Article Brain, the monthly sub-series where we find the worst articles of our day and age to torment one another with. First up, we read Ross...
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“All Systems Red,” or, We Rock With Murderbot
It’s another Patron-selection! Welcome to “All Systems Red,” a 2017 sci-fi adventure novella by Martha Wells. We talk about Wells’ life and the story, but a good chunk of this episode is dedicated to discussing robots in fiction more generally. What makes the robot who wants love such an...
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Anthony Bourdain’s, “Kitchen Confidential,” or: Bourdain in the Membrane
In the year 2000 a snarky chef named Anthony Bourdain published a collection of essays, rants, and observations about the food industry. The dude went on to do cool stuff, so much that our patrons voted for us to discuss this book! In this episode we discuss how restaurant culture has (and mostly...
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Aysha's Author Corner: Jonathan Sims [BONUS EPISODE PREVIEW]
This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/workerslit The spookiness only grows! Jonathan Sims returns to Workers' Lit to talk with Aysha about his work, his novel, "The Burn Line" (which you should buy!), horror, trains, and...
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The King In Yellow ft. Jonathan Sims
It's about to get really spooky. Join us as we explore Robert W. Chambers' iconic 1895 short story collection, "The King In Yellow." Learn about this iconic influence on Lovecraft and eldritch horror as a genre, consider what might lie within the pages of that cursed play that makes you crazy…
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“Letter to the American Church,” Or: We Expose Metaxes’ Lies. Ft. Josh Boerman
It’s a classic “we read a conservative book and get mad” episode! This time we take on pseduo-biographer and self-proclaimed public intellectual Eric Metaxes and his 2022 book, “Letter to the American Church.” Eric says he sees scary parallels to nazi Germany in today’s USA…and he thinks Donald...
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[Bonus Episode Preview] Article Brain: Trans CIA Agents
This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/WorkersLit/posts/article-brain-167304042 It's August Article Brain! And we've got more brain worms than ever. This month, Lenore brings us an article about a trans woman who is…
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“The Works of Vermin,” or, The LGBTQ+ Community Does War Crimes. Ft. Maria Ingrade Mora.
This book is weird, and horny, and gnarly, and gross, and exciting, and an all around winner. Welcome to our discussion of “The Works of Vermin,” Hiron Ennes’ 2025 speculative fantasty slam dunk of a novel. Seriously, go buy this one. Go read it. The episode will still be here when you’re done.…
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“The Communist Manifesto,” Or: A Fun, Gay Little Intro to Marx
It’s the big one. Our most requested text ever. The spectre haunting Europe is now haunting our podcast. It’s 1848’s “The Communist Manifesto” from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels! What are the origins of this earth shattering text? Where does it still hold up, and what needs adjusting for a…
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"Communion: Finding My Way Back To Faith," or, Just Dance Vance 2, ft. AJ Ditty
We've returned to the dark abyss that is the mind of Just Dance Vance. AJ Ditty of The Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast joins us to take on Vice President JD Vance's newest book, "Communion: Finding my way back to faith." Vance tells us all how he totally became an authentic Catholic,...
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The Incandescent ft. Brandon Crilly
Grab your three-ringed binders, highlighters, and spellbooks, this week we're talking about "The Incandescent," a 2025 academia fantasy novel by Emily Tesh. We've got schools, and labor concerns, and demons, and bisexuality, and a fantastic guest: Brandon Crilly, author, organizer, and all around...
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Angela Davis' "Women, Race, and Class." Ft. RevolutionaryTh0t
It’s time to talk about a true living legend: Angela Davis. Educational YouTuber and podcaster RevolutionaryTh0t joins us to talk about the life of one of the greatest thinkers and organizers of our time before we hop into the 1981 book, “Women, Race, and Class.” Fair warning, this book gets into...
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Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
Pull up a chair listeners, and heed the tale of a man named Zakalwe… This month’s listener-chosen episode is “Use of Weapons” by Iain M. Banks, a 1990 sci-fi novel and one of the most famous entries in “The Culture” series. Imagine an alien civilization so advanced that they spend all their time...
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Bonus Episode! "On Practice," ft. Rae of ProlesPod
We are joined once again by Rae of the phenomenal ProlesPod, this time to discuss a deeply influential work of philosophy: Mao Zedong's 1937 essay, "On Practice." Perhaps one day we'll do our big Mao deep dive episode. This isn't that. Instead, this is a close look at a particular aspect of...
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Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism by Vladimir Lenin
Let's get into some THEORY (don't worry, we make it fun)! Lenore, Jacob, and Jen are discussing the revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's famous 1916 text, "Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism." Despite being more than 100 years old, this book feels deeply relevant in 2026...terrifyingly so. We...
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Did I Shave My Legs For This? [Half The Sky Promo Episode]
Hey Lit Ladies and Lads (but especially ladies for this one!) Today's episode is episode three of a new show featuring both Jen Big Nasty and Lenore. Episodes of Half The Sky won't typically go up on the Workers' Lit feed, but we figured, why not give you a sample? Half the Sky is an attempt to...
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Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
We've had queer joy, it's time for some queer suffering. Jacob and Lenore dive into the life of one of the greatest to ever do it, the legendary James Baldwin. A pioneer, artist, and leader for Black liberation and Gay liberation alike, Baldwin is among the finest of all American writers and…
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Important Announcement: Listen or Read Episode Description
It's an important podcast announcement! Folks, the numbers don't lie. While we appreciate all the good feedback and interest we've received for our political/news episodes, Workers' Lit is very much a podcast about literature, first, foremost, and entirely. As such, we've elected to change what…
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The Mystery of The Bitten Peach
A lesbian bottom is on a time traveling adventure in ancient China. We know y’all love this stuff. It’s the most recent book we’ve ever covered: Cecilia Tan’s 2026 novella, “The Mystery of the Bitten Peach.” Follow a young woman with the power to travel through time navigate her feelings of...
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Iran, Elections, And Empire. A Conversation With Greg Stoker
Today we’re joined by Greg Stoker, anti-imperialist activist, journalist, host of the Colonial Outcasts podcast, and independent candidate for U.S. House Texas District 31. Greg talks to us about a range of topics such as his campaign, the role of veterans in liberation movements, Graham…
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Gregor the Overlander
We put out the call to Patreon, and Patreon answered! Patreon decided on today’s topic: Suzanne Collins’ 2003 middle grade fantasy novel, “Gregor the Overlander.” This is Suzanne’s first novel, and she gets into themes about poverty, futurelessness, family, war, and changing diapers. It’s cute!...
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Unity, Solidarity, Struggle: The Task of the American Left, ft. Black Red Guard
The American left has a LOT of work to do. We’re joined in this episode by Black Red Guard, an organizer with the DSA, YouTuber, and that guy who made the excellent “cracker control” tweet you’ve probably seen. BRG joins us for a vital conversation about the work ahead of any liberatory movement…
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We Return To Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
We’re talking about THE evangelical author once again. The man known as Jacksie, the drunken Inkling terror, the OG Christian furry, the most miserable convert in all of England. It’s C.S. Lewis!! In this episode we learn how all adventures in Narnia began as we cover the 1955 prequel, “The...
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Let’s Talk About That Ballroom
Nothing says “declining empire” like an all-out show of ruling class decadence! In this episode Jen, Lenore, and Jacob discuss Trump’s increasingly wild vanity projects, Republican (and one very big and very dumb Democrat) attempts to defend them, and what it means to live in a country that...
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On Queer Horror, with Cursed Morsels Press
Y’all loved the Neon Hemlock episode, so here’s yet another episode where we sit down with someone in weird, queer, independent publishing! Eric Raglin of Cursed Morsels press talks to us about why us queers love horror, the definition of antifascist art (and how it differs from/intersects with...
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Hard Drive Mag Is Dead, Long Live GG Tribune! Ft. The GG Tribune Founders
What do you do when the video game comedy website you write for is bought out and you stop getting paid and everything gets a lot worse? You start your own worker-run, people-first, video game comedy website that rules, that's what! We are joined by the founders of the GG Tribune to discuss the...
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Wallace Shawn's "The Fever," ft. Ethan (People's New Republic).
Yes, THAT Wallace Shawn wrote a play about reckoning with capitalism’s horrors as a privileged person in the imperial core. Written in 1990, it hits like a dozen punches to the gut. Ethan of People’s New Republic and The Sandcastle Business joins us to discuss his own staging of this show, the...
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How to Sell a Genocide ft. Adam Johnson
Buy the book you goofballs you know you want to. Buy Adam Johnson's "How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza" today! Brilliant media analyst and host of the "Citations Needed" podcast Adam Johnson joins the pod to discuss his book about the media's truly criminal...
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The Virtu: Doctrine of Labyrinths Book 2
How do you feel about gay trauma? How about getting disabled because of your annoying twink brother? How about some mild, one-sided incest? How about two of the best ladies in podcasting on their absolute A-game? If you answered yes to any of these questions, listen to our episode on Sarah...
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Are YOU a terrorist? It’s more likely than you think!
The White House has rolled out a new counter-terrorism strategy. It’s nuts. Are you Muslim? How about trans? Are you an immigrant, or related to one? How about on the left in any way? How about opposed to fascism? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I’ve got bad news: you’re on the…
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The Dispossessed
It’s our first Patron chosen episode! Shout out to all who submitted and voted, especially Dark Jackal who submitted Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1974 work of political sci-fi, “The Dispossessed.” Want to suggest and vote on an episode for next month? Become a Patron and support our work! Imagine an...
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The Everything Episode. Also Available in Video!
We’re gonna shoot straight: we had a guest drop out a few hours before we recorded. So we made the best of it, turned on our webcams, and talked about…everything. The MET Gala, Cuba, King of the Hill, Final Fantasy, the Supreme Court, Iran, Being Gay. All of it. We decided to make a video episode...
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Dengue Boy, ft. Vajra Chandrasekera
What if you were a giant mosquito in a climate hell future, and the mosquito was trans, and the trans mosquito destroyed the stock market and also a school bully, and the school bully possessed a VR headset that allowed him to be the guy that runs the stock market, and the guy that runs the stock...
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Bonus Author Interview: Joe Kassabian and “The Highlands Burn”
It’s time for more BONUS CONTENT! We are joined by host of the “Lions Led By Donkeys” podcast, Joe Kassabian, to discuss his upcoming gunpowder fantasy novel, “The Highlands Burn.” What is gunpowder fantasy? Where are all the Armenians in sword and sorcery? How do you build an interesting magic...
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Section 230 and Internet Censorship, ft. Much Like Your Posting
Sure, we have our beefs with the internet, but did you know a lot of powerful people are working extremely hard to make the internet even worse? On today’s episode Cameron, aka Much Like Your Posting joins us to discuss efforts to repeal internet protection law Section 230 and other attempts at...
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Walking Practice, ft. Lee Mandelo
We’re back to talk about EVEN MORE QUEER HORROR. We are joined by brilliant author and returning guest Lee Mandelo to discuss Dolki Min’s 2023 novel, “Walking Practice.” If you’re queer, this book will be highly relatable to you. If you’re a shapeshifting monster from space who eats humans it…
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Alexander Karp's Manifesto, Palantir, and The Future of American Fascism
After a brief check-in at the top with Tehran Taylor, Jen and Jacob launch into Palantir CEO Alexander Karp's Manifesto, "The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West." More specifically, we look at Palantir's 22 point summary of the text it put out, to a...
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Black Flame, ft. Jon Greenaway of Horror Vanguard
Do you want it? If by “it” you mean Gretchen Felker-Martin’s 2025 queer horror novel, “Black Flame,” the answer is 100% yes! We are joined by Jon Greenaway, writer, co-host of the “Horror Vanguard” podcast, and certified gothic literature understander. Together we enter this story about being so...
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Legos and Lethality, the new age of war propaganda, ft. Caleb of Kill the Computer
War propaganda has always been strange... But now it's got Wii Sports and Legos in it. Caleb of Kill the Computer and 60 Minute Drill joins us to talk about the "meme war" that has raged parallel to the Iran war. First we check out the White House's slop: warning, not for the faint of heart. Then...
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The Yiddish Policemen’s Union
What if the Jewish diaspora had established a mini-state in Alaska? What if Harry DuBois had a gigantic muscle-pal instead of Kim? What is the Messiah was gay? All this and more is addressed in Michael Chabon’s 2007 alternate history novel, “The Yiddish Policeman’s Union.” On top of being some…
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The Social Media Episode, ft. Anthony DePice
Folks, we regret to inform you that the internet has kind of become...important. Today we are joined by Anthony DePice, activist, movement cheerleader, and digital organizer to talk about the wide, wonderful, horrid world of social media. We talk some (and laugh more) about various platforms…
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The Unworthy. Also: PATREON!!
PRIORITY: We finally got a Patreon! Supporting us there wins you 1 million Lit Points. Go check it here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WorkersLit Today we cover “The Unworthy,” a 2023 horror novel by Agustina Bazterrica (of “Tender is the Flesh” fame). Religious trauma, oppression of women, lesbian...
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Iran. No Kings. Trans Rights. General Strike?
Bad times in the USA...and elsewhere. The Iran war rages, trans rights come under assault, millions of people take to the streets, and calls for a general strike are building. It's just another week in 2026. Articles referenced and quoted: https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-goes-commando...
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Who Stole Feminism? Ft. Talia Bhatt
This book sucks. But the episode? It goes hard. We are joined by returning guest Talia Bhatt, writer and radical trans-feminist whose work covers epistemic injustice, Third World feminism, and ranked competitive breast growth (yes, she has RANGE!) to discuss "GamerGate's favorite feminist,"...
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The Iran War Continues
The war hasn't stopped. Today we discuss the U.S. and Israel's murderous war against Iran and Lebanon as the Iran War escalates into what may be an even larger conflict. We get into the absurd communication style of the White House around the war, the confusion around what the point even is, and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Your favorite podcast about literature for hot, cool, gay, and/or working class people. Hosted by Aysha, Lenore, Jen, and Rahab. New episodes on Mondays.Patreon: Patreon.com/workerslitContact us at [email protected].
HOSTED BY
Workers' Lit
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Workers' Lit have?
Workers' Lit currently has 201 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Workers' Lit about?
Your favorite podcast about literature for hot, cool, gay, and/or working class people. Hosted by Aysha, Lenore, Jen, and Rahab. New episodes on Mondays.Patreon: Patreon.com/workerslitContact us at [email protected].
How often does Workers' Lit release new episodes?
Workers' Lit publishes regularly with 201 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Workers' Lit?
You can listen to Workers' Lit on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Workers' Lit?
Workers' Lit is created and hosted by Workers' Lit.
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